When do you commit sin in your mind/heart?

[EIF5A]

Let’s say for a short moment, you judge someone or have an uncharitable or irritable thought, but you quickly remove that thought from your mind. Or, an image of carnal nature pops up in your head and you go along with it for a few seconds but you remove it so that you won’t fall into greater temptation.

Are these (mortal) sins that need to be confessed?

 

[Mary_Ellen]

If the thought is unbidden and immediately dismissed when one becomes aware of them, as you’ve described, there is no sin, much less mortal sin. We are not condemned for being tempted.

If such thoughts are intentionally dwelt upon, there is sin, maybe venial, maybe mortal. It depends on how much you want to sin, how much you want to follow through with these thoughts; how angry you allow yourself to become or how much you dwell on the excitement elicited by the thoughts.

Sometimes these intrusive thoughts are persistent. That does not mean one is dwelling on them but that they are persistent temptations. God knows our hearts and our minds. He certainly understands temptation, Jesus having been tempted in the desert.

Psalm 139:23-24 says "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

 

[hazcompat]

If the thought is unbidden and immediately dismissed when one becomes aware of them, as you’ve described, there is no sin, much less mortal sin. We are not condemned for being tempted.

If such thoughts are intentionally dwelt upon, there is sin, maybe venial, maybe mortal. It depends on how much you want to sin, how much you want to follow through with these thoughts; how angry you allow yourself to become or how much you dwell on the excitement elicited by the thoughts.

Sometimes these intrusive thoughts are persistent. That does not mean one is dwelling on them but that they are persistent temptations. God knows our hearts and our minds. He certainly understands temptation, Jesus having been tempted in the desert.

Psalm 139:23-24 says "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Peace

 

[Rosebud77]

Someone once opined that thoughts are temptations but deeds are sin. Never totally sure myself. If i were a better person there would be no such thoughts?

 

[Mary_Ellen]

Someone once opined that thoughts are temptations but deeds are sin. Never totally sure myself. If i were a better person there would be no such thoughts?

My self-opinion is thought, not deed. In my pride I sin by thinking myself better than others, dismissing them because of the high opinion I have of myself. Dwelling on real or perceived injuries I can stir up angry thoughts about someone, even thoughts of revenge. These are just examples of sinful thoughts.

Good people, even saints, have been plagued by tempestuous thoughts. Having such thoughts are not an indication of one’s holiness. If anything, some saints have been tempted far worse than many of us as the devil tried to divert them from their journey to union with God.

 

[Rosebud77]

My self-opinion is thought, not deed. In my pride I sin by thinking myself better than others, dismissing them because of the high opinion I have of myself. Dwelling on real or perceived injuries I can stir up angry thoughts about someone, even thoughts of revenge. These are just examples of sinful thoughts.

Good people, even saints, have been plagued by tempestuous thoughts. Having such thoughts are not an indication of one’s holiness. If anything, some saints have been tempted far worse than many of us as the devil tried to divert them from their journey to union with God.

But we can change our thought patterns. So that we do not think bad of others. It is possible believe me. We can and do grow